Rear axle block for automobile lifts



June 7, 1938. R TULLY 2,120,051

REAR AXLE BLOCK FOR AUTOMOBILE LIFTS Filed July 12, 1937 INVENTOR myruLL- MMM ATTORNEYi Patented June 7, '1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicERichard G. Tully, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignor to Walker ManufacturingCompany, Racine, Wla,

a corporation Application July 12, 1937, Serial No. 153,083

'9 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in rear axle blocks for lifts, withparticular reference to lifts of the general character known asautomobile lifts.

In automobile or vehicle lifts of various types of construction it iscustomary to provide a pair of rails which are spaced somewhat morenarrowly than the tread of the wheels of the vehicle,

' to provide means for lifting those rails into contact with the axlesof the vehicle, and in the further elevation of the rails to liftthentire vehicle to a proper'height so that workmen may stand beneathand reach up to the working parts which may require attention. If,however, the rear axle of the vehicle is rested directly upon thesupporting frame the rails are so closely associated with the workingparts of the vehicle that work may be impeded. Furthermore, in theconstruction of many of the modern motor cars there are dependingportions of the vehicle structure such as fuel tanks, spare tires,batteries, muiilers, etc., which may be damaged by coming in contactwith the rails. x i

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide automaticallyretractable or collapsible rear axle "blocks -to support the axle abovethe longitudinal frame members of a vehicle lift.

Another object of my invention is to provide for means which will enablethe user of my rear axle blocks to manipulate and adjust my rear axleblocks from a safe place of vantage so that he may not be required-toplace 'himself-in a dangerous position whileadjusting or setting u theblocks.

Another object of my invention is to provide for means incorporated inmy rear axle blocks for automatically displacing them to a retracted orcollapsed position when a vehicle is to be "rolled off the lift, therebysafeguarding the under parts of the vehicle.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective of my rear axle blocks installed upon aportion of an automobile lift.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a modified form of block in a view similar to that shownin Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 and showing the rear axle of avehicle automatically forcing my rear axle blocks to retracted position.

Like parts are designated by the'same reference characters throughoutthe several views.

I have shown my rear axle blocks installed upon the elevatable portionIn of an automobile lift which includes a cross frame member I l and twolongitudinal frame members or rails l2 and l3, the portion of the liftillustrated in the drawing being that portion which underlies andsupports the rear end of an automotive vehicle.

My rear axle jacks may be said to be primarily a pair of upright platesI 4 audli bracketed together bymeans of a strut l6 which is rigidlysecured to the jacks I t and [5 by welding or other suitable attachment.My jacksor plates I4-l5 with the strut l6 therefore comprise a unitaryconstruction which is pivotally attached to two saddles I1 and i 8,respectively, which are shaped as indicated most clearly in Figure 1 toengage the tops of the respective rails l2-l3 and are provided withU-shaped inner stirrups l9 shaped toreceive the plates "-45 and to.provide a support-for either end of a pivot pin 20 which extendsthrough the lower rear comer of each their top portions at 2| to receiveany standard I shape of axle 22, and each of said plates is deeplyslotted at 23 to receive any trusses or cross rods that may extend belowan axle in some makes of vehicles. The lower rear comer 'of each of theplatesis rounded at 24 to permit of the retraction of my blockspivotally as indicated in Figure-4 or as indicated in dotted lines inFigure 3. A flat portion or platform 8, rearwardly of the notch at thetop of each block, is defined rearwardly by a stop 9 comprising anupward extension of the block so that an axle may be received upon thefiat platform 8 and against the stop 9 and still be positioned forwardlyof a vertical line drawn through 'the pivot pin 20.

The two saddles l1 and I8, although spaced and held together by theunitary construction of the plates l4l5 and strut l6 are further bracedand spaced by means of a yoke-shaped handle 25 which is so shaped andwhich is suiliciently long so that the grip 26 thereof may extend to asafe position behind any vehicle which may be lifted by the liftingframe l0.

Along one side of the yoke 25'1 provide an operating rod 21 retained andloosely guided by an apertured lug 28 secured to the yoke. The forwardend of the operating rod 2| is pivotally secured to plate It by means ofan eye and shoulder screw 29, and the handle 30 of the rod 21is'disposed within easy reach of a workman who has positioned my rearaxle blocks bymeans of the yoke 25 held manually at the grip 26. Thus,if the yoke 25 and its attached parts including the rear axle blocks l4and I5 is slidably positioned under the rear end of the vehicle at atime when the rear axle blocks are in horizontal position, as indicatedin dotted lines in Figure 3, the blocks may be pivotally moved to theposi-' tion shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2 by a thrust upon thehandle 30.

The unitary assembly, includingthe yoke, the saddles, and the stirrups,may be referred to as a mounting, which is adjustable along the rails orother mechanism included in the lift", which mounting is provided withmy rear axle blocks.

Many ordinary vehicles as constructed today have heavy overhanging partsat the rear end thereof so that difllculty may be encountered inpositioning two plates I l and I5 directly under an axle 22. I thereforeprovide a guide and retractor pin 35 set into a hole 36. in the topmargin of plate I! and the pin 35 may be adjusted to the height desiredand retained in adjusted position by means of a set screw 31. Thus, whenthe blocks are thrust forwardly by means of the yoke 25, the guide pin35 will contact the axle whereby to indicate to the operator when theblocks are accurately positioned. Furthermore, when the lifting frameIII has been lowered to the floor and the axle 22 is no longer beingsupported by the plates ll-IS, no 'further attention is required for theretraction of the plates to their horizontal position since the pin 35,when thrust rearwardly by the axle 22, will force the blocks to theirretracted position where they cannot contact the under parts of avehicle and damage muiflers and batteries as the car is backed off.

It will be noted that when the full weight of a vehicle axle is upon myaxle blocks the pin 20 is offset rearwardly a considerable distance fromthe center of vertical thrust, and that a tremendous rearward forcewould be and is required to pivotally move the blocks ll-IS while thevehicle is being supported thereby. However, when the lift III has beenlowered to its lowermost position and the weight of a vehicle issupported by its own wheels, my blocks are free to move pivotally totheir retracted position, either by reason of a pulling operation uponthe handle "or by reason of the thrust upon the safety guide 35.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle lift including a mounting to be initially raised intoposition to elevate the axle of a vehicle, a lifting block pivotallyassociated stirrup adjacent one margin thereof for adjust-- ment to andfrom a load receiving position, said block in load receiving positionbeing supported wholly by said pivoted mounting and said stirrup.

3. In a vehicle lift provided with spaced rails to be elevated beneaththe axles of the vehicle,

blocks pivotally associated with said rails whereby to move from anupright axle receiving position to a retracted position, said blocksbeing provided with means to engage the axle whereby in the movement ofthe vehicle over said rails to move the blocks to retracted position.

4. In a vehicle lift provided with spaced rails to be elevated beneaththe axles of the vehicle, blocks pivotally associated with said railswherein the movement of the vehicle over said rails to move the blocksto retracted position, said blocks being joined unitarily, and one ofsaid blocks being provided with a handle whereby manually to move theblocks to axle engaging position.

5. A vehicle lift provided with elevatable means to be raised beneaththe axle of the vehicle, and over which a vehicle may be moved to andfrom a position for elevation, a block associated with said means formovement to and from an axle engaging position and to and from aretracted position, said block being provided with means for engagementwith a portion of the -vehicle whereby in the movement of the vehiclefrom the lift to force the block to retracted position.

6. In a vehicle lift designed to be associated with a vehicle runwayover which a vehicle may be conducted on its own wheels, said lift beingprovided with spaced rails longitudinally ex-' tended with respect tothe vehicle and adapted Q5 to be lifted beneath the axles of thevehicle, saddles slidably associated withsaid rails and shaped toreceive axle blocks'adjustable from an upright axle engaging position toa recumbent position beside said rails, one of said blocks bein theirlowered position and the blocks are not in contact ,with the axlewhereby in the movement of the vehicle longitudinally of said rails tomove said block to its retracted or recumbent position. Y

7. In a vehicle lift designed to be associated with a vehicle runwayover which a vehicle may be conducted on its own wheels, said lift beingprovided with spaced rails longitudinally extended'with respect to thevehicle and adapted to be lifted beneath the axles of the vehicle,saddles slidably associated with said rails and shaped to receive axleblocks adjustable from an upright axle engaging position to a recumbentposition beside said rails, one of said blocks being provided with aguide pin for engagement with a portion of the vehicle when the railsare in their lowered position and the blocks are not in contact with theaxle whereby in the movement of the vehicle longitudinally of said railsto move said block to its retracted or recumbent position, said blockscomprising a unitary structure and provided with a hand lever for movingthe blocks to and from axle engaging position.

8. In a vehicle lift designed to be associated with a vehicle runwayover which a vehicle may be conducted on its own wheels, said lift beingprovided with spaced rails longitudinally extended with respect to thevehicle and adapted to be lifted beneath the axles of the vehicle,saddles .slidably associated with said rails and shaped to receive axleblocks adjustable from an upright axle engagingv position to a recumbentposition beside said rails oneof said blocks being provided with a guidepin for engagement with a portion of the vehicle when the rails are intheir I having a surface shaped to receive the axle when in liftingposition and said surface being substantially below the axle before themounting has been raised, said block being provided with meanspositioned to be abutted by the axle whereby in the movement of thevehicle 01! of 5 said lift to move the block to retracted position.

RICHARD G. TULLY.

